Eternal Life

Eternal Life

“If a man dies, shall he live again” (Job 14:14 English Standard Version)? Eternal life has always been the question of humanity since the beginning of days. Death is the ultimate fear I believe in a man's heart, and it is natural for one to want to live forever. As we read through the Bible, many people have this same question in the New Testament. A rich ruler comes to Jesus and asks Him how he can obtain eternal life (Luke 18:18), the Philippian jailer asked Paul how can I be saved (Acts 16:30), and Nicodemus asked Jesus how does one become born again (John 3:4)?

Salvation means deliverance from the power and effects of sin (Barry, et al., 2016). It is a FREE, gracious undeserved gift from God and it is a gift that if we receive it by faith and believe in Jesus as our Lord and Savior then we have the promise from God that we are going to Heaven. Another way to put it is to have eternal life with our Savior.

Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:4-9; Acts 4:12). How does one obtain this salvation or eternal life with God? To simply put it, one must put their faith and trust in Christ and believe in the Gospel message (Acts 16:31; Romans 10:9-10). The message is this; God created humanity to be perfect, but man fell by disobeying God and sinned (Genesis 3). This sin has separated us from a perfect and Holy God (Isaiah 59:2). No one is good, and all fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23 & James 2:10).

To be reconciled to a holy and perfect God, atonement must be provided. That atonement can only be given by someone who has lived a perfect life and can substitute Himself to take the punishment of our sins upon Himself. This person who has done this is Jesus Christ, the God-man. He is the only one who could bore our punishment and die in our place that we would have life and be reconciled unto God (Isaiah 53:5; John 3:16; Romans 5:8; Galatians 2:20). One must believe in Jesus’ birth, life, death, burial, and resurrection to be saved (1 Corinthians 15:3-11). John Calvin put it this way, not only do we have to have knowledge of something and agree with that knowledge, but we must also trust it with our lives (1536/1845). Just because you have information about something and even agree with it doesn’t mean anything. You have to put your faith and trust into that belief. We read in scripture that even the demons believe and tremble, but we know they are not going to inherit eternal life with God (James 2:19). Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this” (John 11:25-26)? It is putting our faith and trust in Jesus’s work by which one can be saved and gain eternal life. Faith is to have self-denial and trust is surrendering your life to Christ to be selflessness (Merrick, 2015). The Gospel can be summarized beautifully by explaining the three R’s: rescue, redemption, and renewal (“Lecture 5,” 2017).

Regarding other worldviews, Christianity stands on its own. Many other faiths believe that you are granted eternal life by your good works. These good works have to outweigh your wicked works, and then one will be able to gain eternal life. Other faiths believe that once you die you just become one with God and there are even some worldviews which do not even believe that eternal life exists. Hinduism offers liberation, Islam offers mercy, and Buddhism offers peace (Lamca, 2015). These other worldviews only offer good advice, but Christianity offers good news (“Lecture 5,” 2017)! Christianity not only gives humanity a way of salvation, but it is also the only worldview that even offers salvation (Migliore, 2004). In Summary, how does one gain eternal life? Here are some key scriptures I think that helps define this question:

1. Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15).

2. John says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:16-17).

3. Peter said, “Repent, therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus” (Acts 3:19-20).

4. Paul said, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved” (Romans 10:9-10).

References

Barry, J. D., Bomar, D., Brown, D. R., Klippenstein, R., Mangum, D., Sinclair Wolcott, C., … Widder, W. (Eds.). (2016). In the Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

Calvin, J. (1845). Of faith. The definition of it. It's peculiar properties. In H. Beveridge (Trans.), Institutes of the Christian Religion (Vol. 3). Retrieved from http://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/institutes.v.iii.html. (Original work published in 1536).

Lecture 5. (2015). CWV-101: Christian Worldview. Phoenix, AZ: Grand Canyon University.

Merrick, J. (2015). The wisdom and power of God. In A. DiVincenzo (Ed.), The beginning of wisdom: An introduction to Christian thought and life. Available from http://lc.gcumedia.com/cwv101/the-beginning-of-wisdom-an-introduction-to-christian-thought-and-life/v2.1/#/chapter/6

Migliore, D. L. (2004). Faith seeking understanding: An introduction to Christianity (2nd ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

Lamca, C. (2015). Intellectual obstacles to wisdom. In A. DiVincenzo (Ed.), The beginning of wisdom: An introduction to Christian thought and life. Available from http://lc.gcumedia.com/cwv101/the-beginning-of-wisdom-an-introduction-to-christian-thought-and-life/v2.1/#/chapter/8

What is the Purpose and Drive for Our Lives?

The Purpose Driven Life

A purpose driven life when one looks at a Christian worldview is quite fulfilling. One of the first purposes within this worldview is living in the Kingdom of God (Pasley, 2015). To live in the Kingdom of God means to live near to Jesus Christ which is to live a life obedient to His Word and continue to live in this world from brokenness to wholeness by the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Pasley, 2015). Being a participant of the Kingdom also means you are anticipating a day when Jesus will come and again and make all things right and that God will dwell with the man again face to face (Pasley, 2015). Christians should also be a reflection of the image of God which reflect love and justice to the world (N.T. Wright, 2014).

Living a purposeful life is also to carry out the Missio Dei which is to continue what Jesus Christ was doing while he was here on Earth. Jesus was continuously bringing the good news to people and showing love and compassion to everyone. We to have been empowered by the Holy Spirit if we are believers in Christ and should be bringing the message of salvation to the lost bringing healing to the broken world (Guder, 2005). A purpose driven life means you are a servant of God under his authority and Kingship, it is to be sent out into the world as Jesus Christ was sent out by His Father (John 17:8).

Lastly, to live a purpose driven life means to make disciples and participate in a church community (Pasley, 2015). We are to come together in community to help one another, pray for one another, break bread, celebrate communion as a church body, and worship together (Pasley, 2015; Acts 2:42). To become a disciple means to live like Jesus increasingly, love as Jesus did and to continue to surrender self to Him (Stetzer & Putman, 2006). This process will take us a lifetime to do because we are not perfected like our Lord, but we should always be increasing in these areas which is called Sanctification.

In my own life, I continue to find my purpose in Jesus Christ. It is in Him where all my hope comes from; it is in Him where I get the love to continue to love my wife and family, and it is in Him where I continue to press forward to be more like Christ and participate in His Kingdom.

References

Guder, D. (2005). The church as missional community. In M. Husbands and D. J. Treier (Eds.), The Community of the Word (pp. 114-128). Downer’s Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.Laing, M.

T. B. (2009). Missio Dei: Some implications for the Church. Missiology 37(1), 89-99.

Pasley, M. (2015). Practical wisdom. In A. DiVincenzo (Ed.), The beginning of wisdom: An introduction to Christian thought and life. Available from http://lc.gcumedia.com/cwv101/the-beginning-of-wisdom-an-introduction-to-christian-thought-and-life/v2.1/#/chapter/11

Stetzer, E. & Putman, D. (2006). Breaking the missional code: Your church can become a missionary in your community. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

Wright, N. T. (1999). New heavens, new earth: The biblical picture of Christian hope. Cambridge, England: Grove Books Limited.

Eternal Security

Does Hebrews 6:4-6 teach that a true believer can lose his salvation?

First lets talk about what a Christian has from God. 

1. A Christian is a new creation - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). This verse speaks of a person becoming an entirely new creature as a result of being “in Christ.” For a Christian to lose his/her salvation, the new creation would have to be canceled and reversed.

2. A Christian is redeemed - For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:18-19). The word “redeemed” refers to a purchase being made, a price being paid. For a Christian to lose salvation, God Himself would have to revoke His purchase that He paid for with the precious blood of Christ.

3. A Christian is justified - Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). To “justify” means to “declare righteous.” All those who receive Jesus as Savior are “declared righteous” by God. For a Christian to lose salvation, God would have to go back on His Word and “un-declare” what He had previously declared.

4. A Christian is promised eternal life - “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Eternal life is a promise of eternity (forever) in heaven with God. God promises, “Believe and you will have eternal life.” For a Christian to lose salvation, eternal life would have to be taken away. If a Christian is promised to live forever, how then can God break this promise by taking away eternal life?

5. A Christian is guaranteed glorification - “And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified” (Romans 8:30). As we learned in Romans 5:1, justification is declared at the moment of faith. According to Romans 8:30, glorification is guaranteed for all those whom God justifies. Glorification refers to a Christian receiving a perfect resurrection body in heaven. If a Christian can lose salvation, then Romans 8:30 is in error, because God could not guarantee glorification for all those whom He predestines, calls, and justifies.

So just to recap a Christian cannot be un-newly created. Redemption cannot be undone. Eternal life cannot be lost and still be considered eternal. If a Christian can lose salvation, God would have to go back on His Word and change His mind—two things that Scripture tells us God never does. (Mal 3:6, James 1:17, Num 23:19).

So back to the passage does Hebrews 6 teach that we can lose our salvation?

No. In that passage, the writer of Hebrews is speaking to the unsaved who have heard the truth and acknowledged it, but who have hesitated to embrace Christ. The Holy Spirit warns them, “You had better come to Christ now, for if you fall away now it will be impossible for you to come again to the point of repentance.” They were at the best point for repentance–full knowledge. To fall back from that would be fatal.

You cant fall out of salvation and then regain it again and then fall out and get God's grace again. It makes no sense at all. It is a slap in the face towards Christ saying that he could not accomplish a secured salvation for those whom would believe.

You would also then have to say scripture is wrong when God says that our names are written in the lambs book of life before the foundation of the world. (Rev 13:8, 17:8, 2 Thessalonians 2:13) Because our salvation is no longer decreed as declared in the Bible but up to me. If I could lose my salvation I would every single day.

 Breaking down the verse a little bit:

They had once been enlightened -  They had heard the gospel of the grace of God. They were not in darkness concerning the way of salvation. Judas Iscariot had been enlightened but he rejected the light. They had the knowledge of God disclosed in the gospel message. Understanding the gospel is not the equivalent of regeneration

They tasted the heavenly gift - The experience might be momentary or continuing. Christ's “tasting” of death (Hebrews 2:9) was obviously momentary and not continuing or permanent. All men experience the goodness of God (they are not judged now but enjoy the pleasures of life), but that does not mean they are all saved (Mt 5:45; Acts 17:25). Many Jews, during the Lord's earthly ministry experienced the blessings from heaven He brought-in healings and deliverance from demons, as well as eating the food He created miraculously (Jn 6). Whether the gift refers to Christ (Jn 6:51; 2 Co 9:15) or to the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38; 1Pe 1:12), experiencing either one was not the equivalent of salvation (Jn 16:8; Ac 7:51). It is possible to taste without eating or drinking. When men offered wine mixed with gall to Jesus on the cross, He tasted it but He would not drink it (Mat 27:34). It is not enough to taste Christ; unless we eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, that is, unless we truly receive Him as Lord and Savior, we have no life in us (Joh 6:53).

They had become partakers of the Holy Spirit -  Before we jump to the conclusion that this necessarily implies conversion, we should remember that the Holy Spirit carries on a pre-conversion ministry in men's lives. He sanctifies unbelievers (1Co 7:14), putting them in a position of external privilege. He convicts unbelievers of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment (Joh 16:8). He leads men to repentance and points them to Christ as their only hope. Men may thus partake of the Holy Spirit's benefits without being in-dwelt by Him. You see this also take place for example with King Saul of the OT who was not a true believer (1 Sam 11:16).

Verse 7-8 - The same water that is dropped on the ground gets absorbed but then it is what the ground produces that determines whether it is burned or not. Just like the Gospel message. Everyone heres the Gospel message but it matters what happens after the message is given. You can be enlightened, you can taste and you can even be a partaker but if you don't produce fruit then it will be know and you will be sent to be burned.

Lastly in verse 9 - the writers switches who he is talking about from "Those" now to "Beloved" and is saying but look this isn't true of your guys! You guys are believers!!! And continues to talk about the promise of God.

The believer never should fear he/she will lose their salvation. They cannot! The Bible is absolutely clear about that. Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” 

• John 10:27-29 - My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.

• Rom. 8:35-39 - Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, “For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

• Phil 1:6 - For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

• 1 Pet. 1:4-5 - to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

• Jude 24 - Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,

• 1 John 1 5:13 - These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

In conclusion how do you feel about your salvation? Do you still think it can be undone or that you when Jesus said you must be born again that He meant you can be born again and again and again? Please let me know your thoughts below.